Miriam and the Stranger by Jerry S. Eicher Page B

and careful, but sometimes a man couldn’t control everything, and kinner was one of those things. Miriam had passed all the scrutiny he had placed on her, and she seemed to still respect him. That wasn’t an easy accomplishment, even if a woman was blessed with a submissive spirit. Mose felt love stir in his heart for Miriam. He had meant to keep this strictly on an evaluation basis, but more had happened in the past week than he had planned. There had come a moment last night when he had leaned over to touch her hand, and Miriam had looked up at him. He had almost taken her in his arms and kissed her right then and there. Miriam would have returned the affection, he was sure. She seemed so willing to accept this sudden change in her life. Maybe he had made a mistake to wait until the next wedding season to say the wedding vows with Miriam. But impatience had never been in him, and here he was, impatient. That was an unexpected outcome of this trip.
    The bus slowed for the next town, but Mose was lost in histhoughts and didn’t notice. New voices filled the bus, and a few people departed. Mose saw only vague forms out of his side vision as his mind whirled with thoughts of Miriam.
    “Is this seat taken?” A cheerful woman’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
    “No, it’s open.” Mose didn’t look up but scooted further to his side of the bus.
    “Are you Amish?”
    Mose finally looked up. The young woman was well dressed. A faint whiff of perfume hung in the air. Her beauty was obvious to him. “ Yah ,” Mose managed.
    “I thought so,” the woman chirped. “You look quite Amish. My name is Cindy.”
    When he was silent, she continued, “Are you sure you don’t mind. I mean… I can sit somewhere else.”
    “No, that’s okay.” Mose forced a smile. “The seat is empty. My name is Mose.”
    The woman stood to toss her large handbag into the overhead compartment. The smell of her perfume became stronger as the bus lurched forward again and Mose hung on.
    “So what brings you to Oklahoma? Or is Oklahoma your home and are you visiting another community?” Cindy was obviously in a talkative mood.
    Mose thought for a moment before he answered. “I was visiting a community in Clarita.”
    “Is your wife along, or are you single?” Cindy glanced over her shoulder to take in the rest of the bus.
    Mose shook his head. “My wife died a while ago.”
    “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Cindy cooed. She reached over to squeeze Mose’s arm. “Was it sudden?”
    “We had some warning,” Mose muttered. “Cancer. Breast cancer.”
    “Oh, that must have been hard.” Cindy’s hand was still on his arm. “You haven’t married again?”
    This was none of the woman’s business, Mose thought, but a man of God must not be rude. And he didn’t want to offend her, but he pulled his arm out from under her fingers before he answered, “I’m waiting on the Lord to provide… in His time.”
    “Oh, that’s so dear.” Cindy didn’t seem offended by him removing his arm. “So how will you know when the Lord has provided? Does the woman make the first move? Is this how second marriages happen among the Amish?”
    Mose almost laughed but managed to keep a straight face. “No, the man still seeks out a suitable mate, which the Lord provides.”
    “And you’re looking then?” Lights seemed to go on in Cindy’s face. “How fascinating. How’s the search going?”
    Mose looked away. This conversation had gone into deep waters, but he didn’t know how to extricate himself. “Well… I’m…” He tried, but nothing presented itself that he wished to say out loud.
    “That’s okay.” Cindy patted him on the arm. “You don’t have to tell me, although that would be a most fascinating story—an Amish man’s hunt for a mate.”
    That was a most gruesome way to describe things, Mose told himself. But the Englisha had different ways about them.
    “Are you some kind of newspaper reporter?” he asked.
    Cindy laughed.